Pune: PMC’s Plan to Fill 355 Teaching Positions Gains Momentum
Pune, 4th January 2024: In a significant development, 23 villages near the city limits have been incorporated into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), bringing forth a new set of challenges and opportunities in the education sector. Currently, there are 355 vacant teaching positions in schools within the old city limits and the newly added villages, prompting authorities to seek government approval for teacher recruitment.
The proposal, aimed at addressing the growing void in the teaching workforce, is awaiting final approval from the government. Once approved, the recruitment process will be initiated through the Pavitra portal.
The shortage of teachers has been exacerbated by retirements in municipal schools, leaving a considerable gap in the education system. For years, teacher recruitment has been neglected, leading to one teacher handling multiple classes. The impact is not only measured by the efficiency of teachers but also the quality of education provided to students.
Initially, there were 650 vacant teacher posts, but the government’s decision to enlist 93 teachers on a permanent basis during the leave period provided a temporary respite. Additionally, the Pune Municipal Corporation has acquired teachers through inter-district transfers. Nonetheless, the current vacancy count stands at 355.
Ravindra Binwade, Additional Commissioner, stated, “The list of teachers in the education department has been submitted to the government for approval. While the list for Urdu and Kannada medium teachers has received approval, the same for Marathi and English media is pending. A decision is expected in the coming days, following which the recruitment process for the 355 vacant posts will commence through the Pavitra portal.”
In parallel, the transfer of 61 out of 65 schools in the newly covered villages has been successfully completed. Binwade highlighted that municipal and Zilla Parishad officials are working collaboratively to address the remaining four schools, reflecting a concerted effort to streamline the education system in the expanded municipal boundaries.
